Valve-gear.



J. B: ALLFREE.

VALVE GEAR. APPLIGATIOH FILED JUNE 12, 1911.

Patented Aug. .29, 1911,

a slmn'ra annm 1 umwtop W (5, 4m Guam J. B. ALLFREB.

VALVE GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1911.

Patented Aug. 29,1911. a snnmsrsnnnw 2.

J. B. ALLFREE.

v VALVE GEAR. APPLIUATIOII FILED JUNE 12, I911.

Patented Aug. 29, 1 911.

Ill/Ill! I I5 JAMES B. ALLFREE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VALVE-GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2-9, 1911"."

Application filed June 12. 1911. Serial No. 632,726.

Lb all whom it may concern:

Be it hnown that l. JAMES B. Aramunn, a

citizen of the United States, residing at. (jihiciuro, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful lll'llilfOVOl'FlGlll'S' in Valve-Gear, of which the following is a specification.

' My invention relates to outside gear of the 'radial type for operatinga mam distrihution valve, or in combination there. with of acompression controlling valve of a steam, air, or other fluid pressure motor and is more especially designed and adapted for use upon locomotive engines of the type shown for example in my former U. S. Patent. No. 770,671, dated September 20. 1904-.

'lhc ohject of my invention is to produce a simple, economical and reliable gea r of the kind ahove referred to for securing an equal, u'iost ellicient, and ideal distribution of the motive fluid, by having the proper aclmissiom quick cut-off, late release, mimmum Mick-pressure, and least suflicient eo1nj'n'ession, under all conditions, to produce a maximum and uniform effective turning effort. with a minimum consumption of motiretluid.

urther objects are, first, to have a simplified construction which consists of fewer working; partsand has no open links or link hlockskantl the joints usedhave large pins which are easily accessible and luhriea'ted, whereby the cost of installation and maintenance are reduced to a. minimum; second. tohave the parts of the gear so 211- rangred and constructed that the resistance iiu-identa'l-to reversing and changing of the ent-offdoes not come against: the reverse lever. whereby the rihrationfound in other types of gears, is entirely eliminated; third, the eccentric rod connections are at or substantially in a. horizontal. plane passing thronghthe "center of the axle, and hence the movement of the engine on its springs can have no disturbing eifeeton theeu tmfl', and the valve. are easily set'and once-square, remain so under all conditions; fourth, to so construct, proportion and arrange the mo ring iartsthat. they are standardized for any type of engine, except the eccentric rod *ing or primary gear are so arranged and,

and col'nhination lever must be adjusted in length to harmonize with the stroke of the piston. and the moving parts of the revere supported from a frame independent of the engine. that the said frame may be adjusted. and secured in any position on th o engine without heing required to recon struet. or. rearrange the engine hodyfcylin ders, or valves; fifth. to construct and arrange the parts so that the forces for shiftthe objectionable inertia forces common in other gears heretofore usedr-slr'th, to

offset the main and COl'l'l'PlBSSJlOIl eontrollin valve -eonnections with the combination lever, as to equalize the preadmission and compression for both ends of the cylinder and atthe same time properly preserv'efthejff events of both valves: and, seventh, to pr0 vide a valve gear whichhas not only simplicity, perfect alinement and halance,"t-ogether with few parts. accessibility and excellent steam distribution, but at thesam'e, time, low cost of manufacture, and ap cable to any type of cylinder with an i1 creased efficiency, endurance, and 10h? of maintenance. V v

The last and primary object of my iiifflb vention is to have a straight-line movement" of the combination lever instead of having a curved orarc l'norement, as in previous" constructions, when the combinationlever; hung" from a hell crank or rocker, arinfl l Tt has been found in practice when the chm-f .hination lever was hung upon the hellcra'nlgl it was inaccessible, and some timescreattidi considerable trouble in application. andln,

f case of repairs, required the removal of too many-parts in order to reach the part 'affected. f

\Vlnle the above stated and correetyalye' events may be kept practically the sa-inefa straight line or detached, method, as shown 09 combination lever is hung upon abell crank, 1 'a combination of arcs orcurves are produced. that require greater accuracy to adjust, for the reason that the relation of both must be absolutely the. same and exact, whereas in the straight line movement being detached, an errorfcan-at once be detected as to thepart in error, whether the error is in the combination lever or in the bell crank. 'A further advantage of the straight line or detached motion is that there is much less inertia of the rapidly reciprocating parts to be taken into consideration, and less vibration created in-the reverse gear mechanism. In the case where the combinationle-ver is hung directly upon the bell crank, notwithstanding my method', as shown and describedin my. companion application, Serial No. 592,041, filed Nov. 12, 1910, for destroying the vibration. or danger causedby the vibration of the reverse lever atexcessively high speeds, some slight vibra-, j. tion was found; whereas, in the straight line or detached method, as herein shown, the higher speed does not appear to affectthe same, in fact, the tendency appears to e better as the speedgoes up. There is also an especial advantage in the application of the'present form of gear to old engines, as a 'much nearer approach to the common, and universal construction is had with-the present detached motion. It is strongerv and wears better and much easier on theyalve stem, and less liable to arcints, and where the gear is applied to my sv tjem of-steam distribution, the conneci between the combination l rand the compression col'ltrolling valv is much eliminating entirely the danger: aiis-ing through too much inertia, specially {when partsa'r'c made heavy enough to avoid uhdue vibration. a ll-o this end my invention consists in the novel features of construction, arrangen'ient and combination of elem'cntherein shown and described and more pm'ticu'larly point- --cd"oul in the claims.

in the accompanying drawings wherein V same reference 'r 'haracters indicate lhd lrawings:=Fignrc 1 is a side (ration of." my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan View: Ilfigr. 3:- is arr-c'nlarged view of the rewrsing lever ci'ii'mcojion's; Fig.4 is an enlarged.sectional via'nv takcn on line llvlv of Fig. 1:and Fig; is asimila'r' view taken on line V-----V "In the drawings, for the purpose of Nine-' v trat 1, T have shown my invention as ap- ,il-lli o a locomotive in which i is thecyl 'int' ilovidcd with the'pistonf i and piston Mi a s?! t steam chestof the. usual formii" shaft 8.

li of the construction as indimled in addition to a main valve, a compression controlling valve and needs no further disclosure.

3 represents the usual cross-head connection with the piston rod 1", and piston 1? 1n the cylinder 1, and 4 is the main valve stem while 5, the compression controlling valve stem connects with the compression regulating valve, (not shown) in'the steam chest.

6 is the usual guide yoke and 7 the bracket for, supporting the reversing The standardizedfand independently adjustable supporting framev 9 is mounted jointlyon the yoke 6 and bar 7 and serves the purpose of a support for my form of reversing or primary gear mechanism. '11

rocl'er or bell crank having arms 10 and 11,

vholes in the bearings 17 andlS, firmly supported on the top of the cross head guide ndicatcd. Themam valve stem 4 1s 'irelcral'ily 'keycd or suitably connected to i the oul't r'end' of the sliding-or reciprocating rod 16, but: it maybe attached toany suitable part of the upper end of the combination lever,'in order to receive its reciproeating ,mhtiomwvithont departing from the uvc'ntion, while the compression regulating valve stem is connected to'aa sleeve-19, which is properly reci uocated on a square bar 20 secured to the cylinder head, by means of rod 2|, pivot-ally coma-vied to said sleeve 19 and at 22 near the upper-end ofnm combination lovcigas shown in Figs. 1, 2 and p The lo .\.'or -m'l ot' theromhinalion lever 14-. pivotally connected at its lower end at. 33, hymcans ot' a link 2i. tov the cross-head l.

The center of -thepivot pin 15 at which i the combinationlever l i-is pivotally supported on the reciprocallug rod [6, is olF-seii from a line passing through the center of the pivotal connection oi the rod 13, with the-combiiullion lover l'hand the will-1112?),- lorlhc inu'posc 'o'l pin-ora-rly, preserving and equalizing the ovunis o'i' the main value at both ends of the(:y|i11rl(-l .-:Il1 l squaring up salon. Furlhcrnmro. the ponrts the pr l oi ('onn'l [um 15. and of the main and oolnpressum valves with thooomlnnalion loother, lhat thc compression valve stem 5 al 'ayslags behind the movement ol lhc 1 var [-1, areso arranged and related to each.

.modifie'd by the position of. ti

main Vnlvc stem 4, so that after the main" *valve is aimed to the exhaust, when the arwith a crankpin 26 mounted upon the main crank pin 27 of the locm'notive, said pin filming connected with thecroswhead 3, by the u.=;iu1l connecting rod 28, andcon named by :111 eccentric/rod 29 to the lower ends o'txa divided ll'ilflSlTllSSlGll bar 30, 30, the ends of Raid bar being pivotally connect ed to the arm 10, of the rocker near its extremity.

Tl'ie scwral part8 just deficrih cl are prefcrahlv' so n'opoi'lionccl and arfaligecl when the cr' 'ilt pin 26 i'e-at nid-lroke verli(ZnlliY'.'t'lll.:(('( (nitric rod 29, will l' e substan-f tiallyhorizontal midwhcn the pin 26 is. at mid-stroke horizontally, the transmission 131112 230; 30givilll'1e in a substantially vertical position. i

Any suitable means may he provided for supnorting'and controlling the movements of-the' tranmnisreion bn'rs'gfi, 30 but I have found the heel manner, and my preferred form as elmwn, which comnrieegi curved 1'21 dius' guide baron 3L 3L which are suitably separate and rigidly attached near theirencls to the cunpo 'tingframe-Q, by bolts 01' otherwism and bans-1 between the transmission bars 301 30, (see Figg'lJl-il A radius block '32 isv 111mmtedbctween and adapted to freely slide in the 'o'uide bars 31;,31. A radius bar 33 is ccntrallv connected at its up, per end totlte radius block 32, as, at Bhandl pauses between the guideba re 31 51, and at its lower eli cl'the bar 33 is pivotally attached, as at 35, toand between the'two transmission bani 30, 3e.

Fm ii this arrangement.- it will be Seen that there an; no overl'mnging bearings and v the actnatrhg forces are uniformly l1st1;1'b-.

uteri ith-respect to a ceiitra] vertical plane najsi mg. through the eocentmc rod 29, and

hence no tendency to distort or twist any of the W513.

ltwil'l' be; observed that one'end of the eccentric 1111129," andthe transmision bars 30,

30. ar'e suni'iortod "upon the 'radiu.=1 block 1 and that the nmvemm s'of the parts may be 1e radius block 32 upon the guide bars 31, 31. For example,

lvheu the radius block 32is positioned at the.

center of-the guide'bars 3 1, 31, the'llovyer end oift-h transmiseion bars 30, 30, will HI(.']Gl;Y t ii swing backward and forward, hou'ovel if :the radius block-82 in 1ii't'v 1t'tl-til'ti1i1 ilscetfi'" tral position, a vertical 111ov0111e11li'H impal'l ed to the up 101' 0nd of the ll'z'lIlSllllHHlUl'l haf'fi' .30, 80, which is co11'1111u11icatcd to the value "I lTlGClltUllEl'll thli'ough the rocker or boll bran'llf arms 10 andjll, to the rod l3, which in trtrn' r'vciln'o 'alcs' the 1111 111013 end oi the combi'uii tion lGVQI 14 pivotall'y supported on the but" 1(1, slidahly supported in the bearings l'Tfll' and IS, the resultant 11'iove1nc'nt' of the upper" end oi the combination lever 14. whose lower em 23 is oscillated by the cronn-hea d 3, hei i ifgf transniitlicd lo the valve stems 4 and F. Any suitable means may l'1 .pro\'id(-1 l fuiitiO controllingthc position of the radius' block 32, upon the guide bars 31, 31, and in tlf1efor1nnh0wn, a lever having; arms 5-36 midi-36",

is mounted 011. the reverse shaft 8, witlr'a" crank pin 37 near the tree and lower c'Iid r'ifPSS arm 36. A link 38 is pivotally connected :11." one endto the crank,pinBT-mnd at item- 3 ,10 site end to the ragtlius block 32. A. 'suil'ii'lfiie reach rod 3Sl1is provided to connect the ul'ipi' end .o fnthc, arm 36 ofthe lever to the eon 9'6 111011 and well known reverselever in the cab," not showlu i 1 It will be observed that in the mechanism herein described and Shown in the thaw" ings, by having-the eccentric rod '29 suhstan 9' 5 ti ally horizontal, 01' inn horizontal pl a'iimj passing, through the axes oitthe- 'drivin Wheels, tinynim'emei'itof the loconiot'ii c 01 its springs will not produce appreciable injurious movement of'the valves tronfthe'iOO proper adjustment, and-thatastl'1e=ecce11' trio rod 29 is moved by the cra11lc2G,-'" swii'igingr motion is iinpilrtedto flint-111113 I'Il'lSSiOllbHl'S 30, 30, and that asthe i'adiu block. is 11101 01] eitlmrvwayfroni its emut-l'al posit.ion, a. longitudinal movement i. imparted; to the rocker bar "or hell cranlc arn'is 1O andell, Which imparted tothe ll'ElCflFIOQiltii'ig l od of the/valve opei'at-iim mac mni ern and controls thc cut-otl', I'tfilfiilfik and closing of the main valvegwhih, h .n'ioi'ement of the combination li'ev-cr'll I fluenced by the crosshea'dmovements, cit trols the lap and lead of the valve. the tivoi above lnovernei'its of (be con-111ination lever H5 14 acting siinultaneousiy and eachl-nodify ing the o-ther So-as to produce and control" the, properw'alve events,'.'111d: secure ethcicut and ideal distribution of the Sl'tillll in the cylinder by having prone* :11l-111issio11, 1 1iclt 1-2 0 cut-off, late release; n1i11i1'1u111'1 back 111' and proper and-least compression undo conditions in a.111o1'e-si111plewand eflicient manner, and without disturbing forces due: V to the movement of the locomotive on Hue-' supporting springs. j Furtlmrsmorc. by 11211 ingzthe combination lever detached h()111 l1l](1 Ward of the center,

lation 15 straight and fixed line, instead of a combination lever of are movement. the inertia of the moving parts is reduced and enables one,

,a'sfully stated in the statement of invention,

a nd eccentric or stress proradius bar. transmission bar, rod. that the resultant force duced when the valve gear is in operation,

is so applied to the radius block as to-be substantially normal to the curvature of the guide bars, and hence there is very little or no tendency to move the radius block-upon the guide bars, thus practically eliminating all 'of the dangers common to valve gears that rely upon the reverse lever to resist the disturbing forces of-the rapidly moving valve. and gearparts.

It, is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in my device without departing from thespirit of my invention. hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the struction shown.

VVhat- I claim:,

1. A, valv'e'gear comprising a' cross head, an eccentric rod, a rocker or bell crank, a movable support. ,a combination lever having one end pivotall-yconneeted to said movable support, and its other end connected exact form or coni to the arms head, a rod'conneeting onefarm uppe'rrnd oi" the combination lever, means.

of the rocker 'or hell crank to the end of the combination lever; means for connectinga main valve to said movable support. a transmission bar having one endpivotall comiected with the other arm of the rocker or'bcll crank and 'itsother end to the eccentric rod; a radial guide bar, a re.- dius block slidably sup o'rte'd on said radial guide. bar, a net-ted at one end to the radius" block and at its other end with the 'end of the trans mission bar connected to the eccentric rod, and means for shiftingithe radius block .on said guide bar. i

2. A valve an eccentric -rod, a rocker or'bell crank, a reciprocating support, a combination lever ha ring one end pivotally connected to said reciprocalingsupport, and its other end eonnect ed. to the cross head, a rod connecting one arm of the rocker or 'hell cran: to the I'or connecting a main valve tosaid'movable support. a. transnussion bar luwlng one end pivotally onnectedwith the other arm of have the of the radius guide bars, radius block,

to the eccentric rod, a

upper radius [bait piv'otally con-- the end'of the theeccentrn: rod, and means for Slll'H-lllg the gear comprising a cross head,.

and means for shifting the radius block'on said guide bar; saidv radial guide bar so i11- terposed between the transmission bar and means 'for moving the radius block, as to resultant-i forces normal to the cu r ati l'fi? O thmguide' bar, and'thcreby-abe vibrations or inertia of the re'cip '=!t, .as'.1)=

3. A'va'lve gear, comprising a cross head, an eccentric 'rod. a rocker or hell crank, a sliding support. a combination lever having one end pivotallj connected to said sliding supporhand its other end connected to the cross head, a rod connecting time arm of the rocker or hell crank to the upper end of the combination lever, means for connecting a main valve to receive the motion of the sliding support, a transmission bar having one end pivotally connected with the other arm ofthe rocker or hell crank and its other end radial guide bar, a supported 'onsaid radius block slidablv .radial guide bar, a radius bar pivotally connected at oneend'to the radius block and at itso tlierendwvith the end of the transmis- S1011 ar connected to the eccentric rod, and

means for shifting the radius block on said guide bar.

4. A- valve gear comprising a cross head, an ecccn'tricuod, arockcr or bel-l' crank, a sliding support. a combination lever having one end pivotally connected to said'sliding support, and its oth erend connected to the cross head. a rod 'connectiiig one arm of, the rocker or hell crank combination lever, means for connecting a main valve to said sliding support, a transmission bar having one nected with the other arm of the rocker or hell crank and its other end to the eccentric rod,'a radial guide bar, a radius block slid- .abl v support'ed'on sa id radial guide bar, a

radius bar pivotally c nnected at. one endto the radius block andat its'othcr end w th transmission bar eonneetcdto radius block on said guide bar. said radial to the upper end of the' end pivotally conguidebar so interposed between the trans mission bar and means For moving the radius block, as to have the resultant forces normal tothe curvature of the guide bar, and thereby absorb the vibrations or inertia. of the reciprocating parts.

a l-eccentric ego, arocker or hell cra.nk,.a

5; A valve gear comprising a cross head;

sliding supportf'a combination lever having one end pivotally connected to said sliding "support, and its other end connected to the cros head, a rod connecting one arm of the l-ier ,or hell crank to the" upper end of the col'l' liination leve.r,,,n1 eans for connecting a main valve to said sliding support, i'neans for connecting a compression controlling valve to said combination ,lever, a transmission' bar having one end pivotally connected with the other arm of the rocker or hell crank and its other, end to the eccentric rod, a radialguide bar, a radius block slidably supported on said radial guide bar, a radius bar pivotally connected at one. end to the radius block and at its other end with the end of the transmissionbar connectedto the eccentric rod, and IHQE'LHS for shifting the radius block on said guide bar.

(3. A valve gear for engines eon'iprising ancccentric rod moving substantially in a horizontal plane, a rocker or hell crank, a sliding support a conihination lever liaving one end iivotallv eoi'ineeted to said sliding support.

and its other end connected to a moving part of the engine, a rod connecting one arm of' the rocker or bell crankto the upper end of the combination lever, means for connecting a mainvalve to said slidingsupport, atransmission bar having one end pivot-ally c0nnected witlhthe other arm of the rocker or hell crank and its other end to the eccentric rod, a radial guide bar, a radius block slidablv supportedon said radial guide bar, a radius bar pivotally connccte atone end to the radius block and atother end with the end of thetransmission bar connected to. the eccentric rod, a' nd means for shifting the radius block on. said guide bar. i v 7. A valve gear for engines comprising a eccentric rod means for actuating said eccentric rod, ah independent and adjustable,

7 ortin frame carr in a rocker or bcll crank, a sliding supportga combination lever having one end pivotally eo'nnectedto said sliding support, and itsotherend connected to a moving par-tof the engine, a rod connecting one "arm of the rocker or hell 'erank trr t'heupp'er end, of'thecombination lever, means for connecting a main valve to said sliding support, a transmission bar having one end pivotally connected with the other arm of the oc'lrer orbell crank and. its other end to the eccentric rod; a radial guide bar,

'a radius block slidablysupported onl said radial. guide bar, a radius bar p vot-ally con- 1 nectied at one end to the radius block and at its other end with the end of the trahsrnis sion bar connected to the eccentric rod, and

means forfsl'litting the radius block'on said guide bar. i

8. A. valve gear comprising a cross heart, an eccentric rod; a rocker or hell crank, a movable support. a eoinhinatir'm lever having one end pivotlally connected [.0 said movable the radius block and at its other end vith the end of the transmission bar connected to the eccentric rod, and means for shifting the radius block on said guide bar.

9. In a variable eut-ott valve gear for locon'iotives, the combination with the main frame, eccentric rod, slide valve and cross head, of a supportmounted on the frame, a bell crank journaled on the support, a link connecting one arm of the bell crank to the forward end of the eccentric rod, a movable support, a combination lever fulerumed on the movable support, a rod connecting the other-arm of the bell crank to the movable support, means for connecting the valve to receive the motion of the upperend of the comination lever, a link connecting the cross head to the lever at a proportionally greater distance from the fulcrum of the,

combination lever than the connection of the valve, a member mounted on the support and adjustable thereon through an are, a rocker pivotallv connected at one end to the'aidjustable member and .at the other endto the bell crank link, the radial distance from said first to ,said second pivotal connection of the rocker being equal to the radial distance of its first pivotal connection fromthecenter of the are otmovement of the adjustable member, and means to adjust and establish the adjustable member atfdifierent points in the arc-of'itsmovement' 10. Tn a variable c1it-otf-valve gear for lo comotives, the combination with the"mai= frame, eccentric rod, slide valve and erase head, of a support mounted on the fr me, a bell crank journaled on the supported link connecting one arm of the bell crank to the forward end of the eceentricrod, a movable support, a combination lever fulcrumed on the turn able support, a rodeonnectlng the other arm of the bellcrank to the movable combination lever, a" compression" controlling valve, means" for connecting. said compression controlling valve to the combination lover, a. link:connecting the cross head to the lever at. a p rt'ipo'rt uinall'y greater distancefrom the fulcrum of the. combination lever than the connection of thcvalve, a member mountel on the support and adjustable thereon through an are, a rocker pivot-ally support, means'fqr connecting the valve'to I. receive themoti0n of the upper tend of the connected at one end to the adjustable memher and at the other end to the bell crank link, the radial distance from said first to are of movement of the adjustable member,

and means to adjust and establish the adstable member at different points in the c of its movement.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature presence of two witnesses.

JAMES B. ALLFREE. I \Vitnesses C. M. CLAYTON, J. R. VVEEKB. 

